Gvk Group: Navi Mumbai Airport's Builder

who is building navi mumbai airport

The Navi Mumbai International Airport is a greenfield airport project that has been in the works since the 1990s. The airport is being built in Ulwe, Navi Mumbai, Raigad district, Maharashtra, India, and will serve as Mumbai's second airport. The project is being executed by Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL), a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) formed by the Adani Airports Holdings Limited and CIDCO (City and Industrial Development Corporation). Larsen & Toubro, India's biggest construction company, has won a major contract to build new infrastructure around the airport. The airport is expected to be inaugurated in June 2025 and is designed to handle over 20 million passengers per annum in its initial phase, eventually ramping up to 90 million by 2032.

Characteristics Values
Airport Name Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA)
Location Ulwe, Navi Mumbai, Raigad district, Maharashtra, India
Builders City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), Adani Group, Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL), Larsen & Toubro
Cost ₹16,700 crore (US$2-2.1 billion)
Area 1,160 hectares
Phases 3-5
Capacity 20 million passengers per annum in phase 1, 60-65 million in phase 2, 90 million in phase 3 by 2032
Terminals 3-4
Runways 2
Design Influenced by India's national flower, the Lotus
Operator Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL)
Metro Connection Navi Mumbai Metro Line 1, Mumbai Metro Line 8 (Gold Line), Mumbai Trans Harbour Link
Roads Ulwe Coastal Road (UCR), Kharghar Coastal Road (KCR), 4 approach roads totalling 13.3 kilometres
Bridges 3 large steel bridges, 12 minor bridges
Underpasses 27

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Project planning and approval

The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) project has been in the works since the 1990s. The airport is being built to address the congestion issues at Mumbai's existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, which was estimated to outpace its capacity of 55 million passengers annually by 2010.

In November 1997, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) formed a committee to examine potential sites for an extension to the existing airport. The committee recommended a site at Mandwa-Rewas in June 2000, as the proposed airport was to have a single runway. However, in September 2000, the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) revised the proposal to include a pair of parallel runways and submitted its feasibility report to the MoCA.

In September 2001, CIDCO submitted a Techno-Economic Feasibility Study (TEFS) to the State Government, which was followed by a simulation study conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The study confirmed that the simultaneous operation of two airports was possible with the appropriate procedures in place.

In February 2007, CIDCO submitted a Project Feasibility and Business Plan Report to the MoCA, and the project received in-principle approval from the Union Cabinet in July 2007. In July 2008, the Government of Maharashtra granted approval for the development of the project on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis and appointed CIDCO as the nodal agency for its implementation.

The project faced delays due to land acquisition issues and negotiations with individuals affected by the airport. In August 2016, India's Ministry of Civil Aviation prioritised the completion of operational areas of the airport, including a runway, terminal building, and ATC tower, by 2019. The project received various environmental, technical, land acquisition, and zoning approvals from the Indian Government, with CIDCO aiming to finalise the contract by the end of December 2015.

The foundation stone for the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 18, 2018, and construction began in August 2021. The project is being executed by Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL), a joint venture between Adani Airports Holdings Limited and CIDCO, with an estimated cost of ₹16,700 crore (US$2.0-2.1 billion). The airport is expected to be completed in phases, with the first phase handling 20 million passengers per annum, and the final phase aiming for a capacity of 60-90 million passengers and 2.5 million tonnes of cargo per annum by 2032.

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Construction and infrastructure

The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is a greenfield airport project situated in the heart of Navi Mumbai. The project covers an area of 1,160 hectares and is being executed by Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL), a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) formed by Adani Airports Holdings Limited and City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO). The airport is being built on a public-private partnership (PPP) model, with NMIAL and CIDCO holding 74% and 26% equity shares, respectively. The total estimated cost of the project is ₹16,700 crore (US$2.0 billion).

The airport's design was influenced by India's national flower, the lotus, resulting in a distinctive architectural masterpiece. It will feature three interconnected terminal buildings with food courts, lounges, travelators, and other passenger facilities. The airport will have two parallel runways, with a capacity to handle over 60 million passengers per annum in the future. The first phase of the project will accommodate 20 million passengers per annum and handle 0.5 million metric tons of cargo.

The construction of the airport commenced in August 2021, after more than three years of land acquisition. Larsen & Toubro, India's biggest construction company, has won a major contract to build new infrastructure around the airport, including four approach roads totalling 13.3 kilometres, three large steel bridges, 12 minor bridges, and 27 underpasses. The project also involves utility works and allied electrical works.

To improve connectivity to the airport, CIDCO will construct the six-lane Ulwe Coastal Road (UCR) and Kharghar Coastal Road (KCR). Both projects are expected to be completed by early 2026. The airport will also be connected to the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport via an express metro line, and there are plans for a dedicated metro line between the two airports. Additionally, a six-lane bridge connecting Thane with Navi Mumbai is expected to open by September.

The airport has reached several key milestones, including the installation of a baggage handling system and the completion of structural steel work. The project is progressing swiftly and is scheduled for inauguration in June 2025, with flight operations expected to begin in April 2025.

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Design and architecture

The Navi Mumbai International Airport is designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA). The London-based firm was selected after a 12-week fast-track design competition among the best international architecture firms. ZHA is known for its iconic architecture, with projects spanning 45 countries. The Navi Mumbai International Airport is only the second airport project that the firm has won a design bid for.

The airport will have three interconnected terminal buildings, featuring food courts, lounges, travelators, and other facilities for passengers. The total capacity of the airport will be 90 million passengers per year, with the first phase handling 20 million passengers annually. The buildings will be shaped like a lotus to provide an aesthetic theme. The airport will also include cargo terminal buildings, two parallel runways for independent operations, taxiways, an apron area, a cargo complex, an aircraft maintenance site, long-term aircraft parking, and additional infrastructural facilities such as car parking, a power supply system, and a water treatment plant.

The design of the airport aims to embody futuristic India, with innovative and sustainable architecture. The terminal's layout is designed to reduce aircraft taxi times, thereby decreasing fuel consumption. The airport will also feature a highly complex space frame system in the landside facade canopy, achieving a level of curvature within a shell-action structure that surpasses previous airport projects.

The construction of the airport is being executed by Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL), a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) formed by Adani Airports Holdings Limited and CIDCO. The total cost of the project is estimated to be ₹16,700 crore (US$2.0 billion). The airport is expected to be operational by March 2025.

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Funding and costs

The Navi Mumbai International Airport is a public-private partnership between GVK Navi Mumbai airport and the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO). The total cost of the project is estimated to be ₹16,700 crore (US$2.0 billion). The project is being executed by Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL), a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) formed by the Adani Airports Holdings Limited and CIDCO, which will hold 74% and 26% equity shares of NMIAL respectively.

The funding for the project has been tied up with YES Bank as the lead lender. Credit rating agency CRISIL has accorded an A+ stable rating for the project’s ₹103-billion bank loan facilities. The cost of the first phase of the project has escalated by 50% to ₹135.6 billion, which is higher than the previous estimate of around ₹90 billion made by the planning authority.

The CIDCO has been responsible for the pre-development work, which included flattening Ulwe Hill, reclaiming marsh land, diverting the Ulwe River outside the airport boundary, widening the channel to 60 metres, and shifting power transmission lines. CIDCO was also to raise the level of the project site by 5.5 metres as part of the pre-development works. The construction work for the airport began in 2022 after the land was acquired. The foundation stone for the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 18 February 2018, and construction was started in August 2021.

The airport is being built in phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by March 2025. The first phase will be able to handle 20 million passengers per annum, with a low-cost carrier terminal with a capacity of two million passengers per year. The second phase will be able to handle over 60-65 million passengers per annum, and the final phase will have a capacity of over 90 million passengers and 2.5 million tonnes of cargo per annum by 2032.

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Project stakeholders

The Navi Mumbai International Airport is a significant infrastructure project in Maharashtra, India, with a range of stakeholders involved in its planning, development, and execution. The project has been in the works since the 1990s and aims to address the capacity constraints of the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.

  • City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO): CIDCO is a government agency appointed as the nodal agency for the project's execution and implementation. They are responsible for land acquisition, pre-development works, feasibility studies, and overall project management. CIDCO holds a 26% equity stake in the project through a special-purpose vehicle (SPV).
  • Adani Group: The Adani Group, led by Gautam Adani, is the concessionaire and majority stakeholder in the project, holding 74% equity shares through Adani Airports Holdings Limited. They acquired a controlling stake in 2021 and started construction in 2022 after receiving the project land from CIDCO. The group has made significant progress, claiming to have completed over 50% of the work by late 2023.
  • Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL): NMIAL is the special-purpose vehicle (SPV) formed by Adani Airports Holdings Limited and CIDCO to execute the project. NMIAL oversees the day-to-day construction and operational aspects of the airport, including managing contracts and collaborations with other companies.
  • Government of Maharashtra: The state government of Maharashtra granted approval for the project's development in July 2008. They also play a role in environmental, technical, land acquisition, and zoning approvals, working closely with CIDCO to address challenges related to height restrictions and land acquisition.
  • Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA): MoCA is the central government ministry responsible for civil aviation in India. They constituted a committee to examine potential sites for the airport and provided approvals for various stages of the project.
  • Airports Authority of India (AAI): AAI is a government agency that works under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. They conducted a detailed Techno-Economic Feasibility Study (TEFS) and found the Navi Mumbai site technically and operationally feasible. AAI also collaborated with NMIAL on the flight calibration of the Instrument Landing System (ILS).
  • Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA): ZHA is an international architecture firm selected through a design competition to design the airport's Terminal 1 and Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower. Their design, influenced by India's national flower, the lotus, has created a distinctive and futuristic architectural masterpiece.
  • L&T Infrastructure Engineering Limited: L&T Infrastructure Engineering Limited is the detailed design consultant for the project, providing engineering expertise and contributing to the overall design and planning process.
  • GVK Airport Developers Ltd: GVK Airport Developers Ltd initially won the bid to develop the airport in February 2017, with a 74% stake. However, in September 2020, the Adani Group bought out GVK's stake, becoming the new majority stakeholder.
  • Qatar Investment Authority (QIA): In early 2021, the Adani Group was in advanced talks with QIA to sell a minority stake in the project.
  • State Bank of India (SBI): SBI has been pledged a 51% stake in the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIAL) by Mumbai International Airport (MIAL), which is controlled by the Adani Group.

These stakeholders, each with their own roles and responsibilities, work together to ensure the successful development and operation of the Navi Mumbai International Airport. The project has faced challenges, including land acquisition, protests, and delays, but with the collaboration and coordination of these stakeholders, it is progressing towards its completion and inauguration.

Frequently asked questions

The Navi Mumbai Airport is being built by the Adani Group-led Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL).

The estimated cost of the project is around ₹16,700 crore (US$2-2.1 billion).

The airport is expected to handle over 20 million passengers per annum in the first phase, and over 60-65 million passengers per annum in the second phase. By 2032, it is expected to handle more than 90 million passengers and 2.5 million tonnes of cargo annually.

The foundation stone for the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 18, 2018, and construction began in August 2021.

The Navi Mumbai International Airport is designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. The design of the terminal is influenced by India's national flower, the Lotus, resulting in a distinctive architectural masterpiece.

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